Railroad-crossing.



R. BROWNB. RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1912.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

ROBERT BROWNE, 0F BUTTE, MONTANA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT BRowNE, citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver-bow and btate of Montana, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crossings of raillays and roads or streets, and has for its object the provision of simple, durable and inexpensive means whereby the passage of vehicles across the railroad tracks will be facilitated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the spreading of the rails at the crossing will be prevented.

The stated objects and such other incidental objects as will appear from the description of the invention hereinafter given, are obtained in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in certain novel features 4which will be particularly pointed out in the claim following the description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a railway crossing showin my invention in connection therewith; Fig. 2 is a transverse. section.

The ties 1 and the track rails 2 may be of the usual form and dimensions, and the track rails may be secured to the ties in t-he usual or any preferred manner. In the drawings, the rails are shown as having their joints supported in chairs 3 which fit around the bases of the meeting rails and against the.webs thereof and are secured thereto by bolts 4 inserted through the chair and the web of the rail and equipped with fastening nuts 5.

In ycarrying out my invention, I provide between the track rails -a block or plate 6 Which'is preferably of cast steell and of such a height that when it is in position upon the ties and between t-he rails its upper surface will be 4flush with the treads of the rails. In

the uppernsurface of this block or plate I form a series of longitudinal grooves 7, and in the bases of some of the said grooves I form countersunk openings 8 which are eX- tended through the plate or block and adapted to receive fastening screws 9 which are inserted through the plate into the ties, as will be readily understood. These longitudinal grooves provide means wherebysthe dirt which will ,tend to collect on the tread Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led July 27, 1912.

Patented Mar. 11,1913. Serial No. 711,911.

surface of the lplate or block may be collected and from which it may be easily swept, and also form receptacles in which melting snow or ice may collect, so that the formation of a slippery surface over the tread will be avoided in cold weather. In -ord1nary conditions the grooves will afford firm footing for any draft animals passing over the crossin so that the liability of a team being cuug 1t upon the crossing when a train is approaching is reduced to a minimum. In the side edges of the plate or block 6 at the bottom thereof I form recesses or notches 10 which accommodate the base flanges of the track rails and fit over the heads of the spikes by which the rails are secured to t-he ties. From t-he outer extremities of the upper walls of said notches the lside edges of the plate or block are beveled inwardly and upwardly, as shown at 11, so that a space will be provided between the side edge of the plate and the tread of the rail to accommodate the flanges of the car wheels on passing trains. At the outer sides of the track rails I secure upon the `ties, plates or blocks 12 which are hkewise pref'- erably of cast steel and have their upper surfaces inclined, as shown at 13, so as to extend gradually from the surface of the roadbed to the tread of the adjacent rail. The side plates 12 are provided with longitudinal grooves 14 in their upper surfaces and also have countersunk openings 15 in the bases of some of said grooves through which fastening screws 16` are inserted into the ties. The inner edges ofthe side plates are stepped to provide a lower notch 17 which will fit over the base flange of the rail and the heads of the spikes which secure the same to the ties, and above the said notch 17 a second notch 18 will be provided which will accommodate the bolts by which the chairs 3 and the fish plates of the rail joints are secured. Above the said notch 18 the edge of the side plate bears against the track rail, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and it will be readily noted that inasmuch as the several plates are securely fastened to the ties and all the plates engage the track rails, spreading of the rails at the crossing will be positively prevented.

My improved crossingprovides a tread which will effectually prevent slip )in of draft animals crossing a track and w ich will facilitate the removal of snow and ice. The several tread plates may be readily se- 'i block resting on the ties and extending be tween the t-racl'r rails and having its side edges provided at, its bottom with longitudinal vrecesses to engage overthe base flanges of the track rails and beveled in- Wardly and upwardly from said notches, the

upper surface of the block being provided with a pluralit-yo grooves parallel with the track rails and opening through the end edges of the block, a single block resting on the ties a'tthe outer side of cach track rail vhaving its upper surface inclined downwardlyfrom the treadl of the rail to the sur- "face of the ties and provided. with grooves parallel with the track rails and opening 'nal side wall of the block at its upper edge rail and being stepped below the san'lg'to'" engage over the track-securing bolts aiilftlie base flanges of the track rails, countersunk openings being formed through all the blocks in the bases of some ofthe grooves, and headed fastenings insert-ed downwardly through said openings into the ties.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BROWNE. [1.. s.] Witnesses:

M. V. BROWN, J. F. SMITH. 

